Reach Beyond

Whose feet are you washing? All to often we live to be honored and recognized instead of desiring to serve in a greater capacity. In corporate settings people sabotage one another for a position or a spot.

Let’s face it life and work can become a blood bath of competitiveness. Have we lost sight of what is really important? Have we forgotten the importance of humility and service?

Today I stopped at Starbucks for a French Vanilla Latte, and was truly impressed by the service received. While making my order, the order taker explained the difference between a Latte and Cappuchino to assist me in making a choice. After I ordered and pulled around to the window, the gentleman at the window, greeted me with a smile, I gave him my payment, he handed me my order, and said have a great day. I left feeling satisfied and valued.

It’s a rarity nowadays to get really good customer service. I wonder do we pay attention to the quality of service, that we are delivering on a daily basis.

As a Christan, I want to be able to meet people wherever they are, showing compassion, kindness, and love. So many people are hurting, especially this time of the year. Yet, many of us are consumed with are own affairs.

Lives are changed, when we reach beyond ourselves.

In John 13:3-5, it reaccounts the act of Jesus washing his disciples feet as follows:

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

Can you imagine, Jesus taking the lowest position, as a slave and washing his disciples’ dusty, crusty, and cracked feet? The washing of feet was seen as a humiliating task, and yet Jesus uses a deplorable task to teach a lesson in how we ought to serve others. Jesus let’s us know that thetrue mark of a leader is humility and service. Jesus did not forgot who he was, he took a lower posture to better serve others.

It was custom in rich households for slaves to wash the feet of the privileged, but it was considered to be done by one of the lowest of birthrights. It is so easy to become consumed with power, position, and privilege that we lose sight of the things that give our life real substance and significance. Truly changing a life, giving someone hope, holding their hand during moments of loss or grief holds unlimited and immeasurable value.

I wonder how are lives would change or businesses make greater impact if we dedicated our lives to living from a place of humility and service.